Jon Jones Comments On His Current Relationship With Dana White

After UFC 151 was cancelled when Jon Jones (17-1) refused to take on a new opponent eight days out, the light heavyweight champion and UFC president Dana White seemed to be at odds. Lately, they are on better terms than ever according to Jones

“Me and Dana are on good terms,” said Jones to MMA Weekly. “I don’t think we’ve ever been on better terms. I think he looks at me as a young man who has respect for himself, who stands up for certain things, who has a backbone and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. I’m here for the business and I’m here for the fans. I’m just trying to do everything right for myself and for the people around me.”

White blamed Jones and his manager Greg Jackson for declining to face Chael Sonnen (27-12-1) after his original opponent Dan Henderson (29-8) went down with a knee injury. The show would be referred to by White as the event the duo murdered. Since that September cancellation, the two have appeared in public on speaking terms.

The show would be the first time a UFC event was cancelled. Jones would return at UFC 152 when he submitted Vitor Belfort (21-10) to earn his fourth title defense. In that fight, Jones escaped an armbar early in round one and dominated the remainder of the fight.

Jones returns at UFC 159 to meet Sonnen on April 27. The two recently finished coaching opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter and are set for the main event from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.